We are thrilled to announce that Emma Rees, our 2025 Ottawa Brain Bee champion, has placed among the top three competitors in Phase 1 of the Canadian National Brain Bee!
By ranking in the top three, Emma has earned travel and accommodation to compete in the second phase of the Canadian National: the Final Showdown, which will take place at the 2025 Canadian Association for Neurosciences (CAN) annual meeting in Toronto on Friday, May 23rd.
Congratulations, Emma!
What is the Brain Bee?
The Brain Bee is a FREE knowledge & trivia competition about the brain and neuroscience for high school students. Participants receive free study material and prizes are awarded to the top participants. The student placing first in the Ottawa Brain Bee wins a summer internship at a Carleton University neuroscience lab and is given the opportunity to represent Ottawa at the 2025 CIHR Canadian National Brain Bee. The National Brain Bee Competition will be split into two phases: Phase 1 was virtual and took place on Friday, April 25, 2025. The top 3 finalists from Phase 1 will proceed to Phase 2 which will take place in-person at the 2025 Canadian Association for Neuroscience’s (CAN) annual conference in Toronto on Friday, May 23rd. The Canadian National champion will represent Canada at the 2025 International Brain Bee competition. The top participants from the IBB will be invited to participate in the IBB NextGen program (a specialized cultural and academic program focused on academic pursuits, career development, and mentorship) and offered the chance to attend a major neuroscience conference the following summer.
Competition is strong and there are currently 20 regional events in Canada that feed into the National competition, with 40 countries sending their winners to the International Brain Bee. To have the best chance at succeeding nationally, participants must start studying and training well in advance.
Learn more:
- Want to get involved in future Ottawa Brain Bees? Click here!
- Official website of the Annual CIHR Canadian National Brain Bee